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Contrary to popular belief, Federal employees do not get paid for unused sick leave at retirement, only unused vacation days, same as most private sector employees and state employees. Also, contrary to what of the public thinks, Federal employees pay a substantial percentage of their total health insurance premiums, in excess of 32% in many cases. Most popular Federal employees health plan, BC/BS, has premium of $430.04 a month paid by the employee and that plan has almost no dental or vision coverage. Not to say they don't appreciate having the coverage, but it's not as generous as the public thinks. Most other public employees pay no more than 20% of their health insurance premiums while there are some private sector employers who require employees to pay a much smaller percentage. Michigan public school employees, including school teachers, have excellent health insurance and still have defined benefit retirement plans, thanks in part to the MEA which is very proactive. State of Michigan employees hired since 3/31/97 do not even have a defined benefit plan, only a 401K plan, thanks to Gov. Engler who pushed through bills late 1996 eliminating those retirement plans for new hires at a time when he knew the state House was turning Democratic January 1997. He tried to do the same to public school employees, but the MEA didn't let him get away with it. The UAW and other state employee unions were not as proactive in defense as was the MEA which is why Michigan is one of the few states where state employees have only a 401K and no defined benefit plan.

Perhaps Detroit is like an alcoholic who won't accept help until he or she has hit bottom. It doesn't appear Detroit has quite hit its bottom, but as the Doomsday signs read "The end is near". I personally don't like our state's revised emergency manager law ("the word 'financial' deleted from prior law), but in the case of Detroit, no other U.S. City needs adult supervision as badly as Detroit. Decades of mismanagement and corruption has brought it to this point. Bing tries hard, but trying is not enough.

Being a life-long newspaper junkie, I was not happy when the GR Press cut home delivery to 3 days a week, but I have been impressed with its investigative reports in recent weeks. Good things can happen when newspapers do comprehensive reports such as the Press has done recently. Kwame Kilpatrick could still be Mayor of Detroit had it not been for the Detroit Free Press investigative reports. Likewise for other great newspapers such as the Seattle Times and Las Vegas Sun, both papers winning Pulitzer Prizes in past years. I still question why Booth Newspapers are pushing digital content now over print, but I'll reserve judgment until next year.

Senator Mitch McConnell was quoted in the news this week as telling a constituent that smoking marijuana can lead to death. That's about as intelligent as telling someone being born can lead to death. To my knowledge, there has never been a recorded death attributed to marijuana overdose. There have been overdose deaths due to multiple drugs, but not marijuana alone. The noted late conservative, William F. Buckley Jr. , advocated legalization of marijuana, basis for which he detailed in a 2004 National Review column. We spend billions every year in futile attempts to eradicate marijuana and incarcerate thousands for simple possession or distribution of very small amounts. Better to legalize,regulate, and tax, but decriminalization is a critical first step in the campaign.

Interesting how right-wingers want government out of their business, but cry foul when anyone talks about eliminating Medicare. Must be "not in my backyard" syndrome? Not surprising though considering the current crop of GOP Presidential candidates, the only consistent one of them being Ron Paul who makes a lot of sense. If only he were not so extreme. His position on Iraq War and Afghanistan differs with those who are now calling for war with Iran, but those calling for war are mostly those who sat out the Vietnam War or have never served in military, Romney doing a 30-month mission in France on a religious deferment and Gingrich milking more than one student deferment as I recall. Ron Paul is the only candidate who served on active duty, an Air Force flight surgeon 63-65 and Air Guard 65-68. And, there are others like El Dumbo who was disqualified for the draft during Vietnam because of a congenital pilonidal cyst, the same medical condition I tolerated during my 8 years of Air Force active duty, 3 years of it in Southeast Asia. That disorder rarely causes a problem. The Air Force never suggested I have it excised. It was only after I left the military that I had it excised. I voted for George Romney three times, but the apple fell far from the tree.

I'm sure GRPD is hoping to get clues from her as to where her male companion could be hiding out. I still question why the police have not circulated a photo of him for public's help in finding him, unless, of course, they don't have access to his photo. For all we know, he has a Facebook page or some other social media what with allegedly being in his 20s. It's only a matter of time before he's brought in wearing handcuffs and shackles. By now, they must have enough evidence to charge him. I assume she has not been officially charged. As she has time to think about the possibility of decades in prison, she's going to be very willing to talk against him in hopes of a plea bargain which prosecutors may already be discussing. Sounds like it was a stupid road rage incident. Not unlike hundreds of other killings as a result of someone feeling disrespected. Anyone who goes to prison for the rest of their life because they felt disrespected belongs there.

I let my answering machine pick up the robo-calls, but they're still annoying what with getting at least six a day, not to mention emails and text messages from three of the candidates. However, it did not stop me from voting this morning. I haven't missed voting in an election since first voting in 1960 with the exception of one or two school board elections. Voted absentee ballot during my 8 years in Air Force.

When you always agree with everything a journalist writes, you're not getting the truth. I've read his columns published in a small town newspaper for decades and don't always agree with his assessments, but that's why I keep reading and will begin reading his blog and column on MLive Media, not that I like seeing the GR Press go to 3 day a week home delivery. I reserve the right to cancel my print subscription in the future and will not be reading the digital version, only MLive. I own an iPhone and plan to get an iPad, but reading an entire newspaper on an eReader is not for me.

How many readers of Booth newspapers know that Booth is owned by Advance Publications, CEO and principle shareholder of which is Samuel Newhouse, Jr who has an estimated wealth of $6.6 billion and is ranked as 47th richest American by Forbes and who also happens to have an art collection estimated to be worth in excess of $100 million. Not that there's anything wrong with being filthy rich, but with Advance Publications being a privately held company, you have to wonder if Sam is pulling the strings behind this latest major restructuring. I will continue my 7 day a week subscription to the GR Press for the time being, but will not read the digital version. Being a newspaper junkie, I do browse many newspapers online, but prefer to hold the print version in my hands which I can now do only 3 days a week. In any event, I suspect Sam will now be adding to his art collection.

$12 Million sounds like a lot of money to most of us, but is probably chump change to Samuel Irving Newhouse, Jr. CEO and principle owner of Advance Publications, a privately held company which owns, among dozens of other publications, Booth newspapers. Forbes ranks him as the 47th richest American (est. $6.6 Billion) who also happens to be among the world's top art collectors with a collection estimated to be worth $100 million. I have nothing against people becoming filthy rich, but I can't help but wonder how much input Sam Newhouse, Jr. had in a plan that appears to be replacing long-time faithful journalists with lower paid employees of the MLive Media Group. The Bottom Line is always important to those at the top. However, Sam probably does pay a higher tax rate than my 15%, unlike others we read about in recent weeks. You can't believe everything you read on Wikipedia, but Forbes is generally reliable.

Very well written report which illustrates the fact that Meijer Gardens continues to surprise and amaze those of us who visit the Gardens. This latest development is somewhat of a consolation for the voters having turned down Fred Meijer's past offer to donate and partially fund a wildlife park on the site of what was then a golf course. On an unrelated note, am I the only one who notices that the use of the word "stuff" is ubiquitous, not only in print, but by TV interviewers and their guests, except for guests like Kissinger, Brzezinski and the like who have a number of other words for "objects". However, that being the case, I can tolerate the word "stuff" much easier than the never-ending, repetitive use of "Ya know?" and "I mean". Authors who never use those phrases in print often can't talk without blanketing their conversation with those phrases. Whatever happened to the silent pause when you're contemplating your next statement? We all hate silence, don't we?

I believe that the GR Press is part of Booth newspapers which is owned by Advance Publications, CEO and major stockholder of which is Sam Newhouse, Jr., a billionaire who owns a multi-million dollar art collection. Not that there's anything wrong with owning millions of dollars worth of art, but I have to wonder if the GR Press plan to replace dozens of long-time faithful employees with lower paid employees with fewer benefits has anything to do with Sam Newhouse, Jr.'s desire to improve the bottom line?

Out of curiosity, I wonder how many of our state elected officials are veterans? I don't believe my state rep or state senator ever served in military and I know Gov. Snyder did not. Could that have something to do with our legislature's attitude of let them eat cake? We all know what happens to health care when the low bidder is the caregiver. Very shameful. As for the Board not knowing in advance of the fourth floor closing, what ever happened to Gov. Snyder's pledge for transparency within his administration or was that just another empty campaign promise. Overall, it's shabby treatment of our veterans, many of whom suffer from service-connected disabilities.

I don't believe the rumor that Schuette wants more cops so he can jail the last remaining medical pot patient. But, on the other hand, maybe that rumor has some validity to it. It's no secret he opposed medical marijuana in Michigan and still opposes it.

Nothing personal toward the judge, but it would appear he'd feel very comfortable presiding over a Moscow courtroom where the rights guaranteed by out U.S. Constitution did not apply. Kudos to Leon Hendrix, WOOD-TV, and GR Press reporters for exposing this travesty of justice. Hope they stay on top of the outcome of all involved

How foolish of me to believe the 5th Amendment applies equally to all. He either slept through his Constitutional Law classes or believes it applies only to him such as when refusing to respond to reporters the likes of Leon Hendrix of WOOD-TV who waited out the judge who still refused to respond. I knew there was a reason I stay out of Ottawa County.

If we used the logic that Bush later used as reasoning for invading Iraq (dictatorial tyrant), we'd have to invade dozens of countries, including North Korea, Syria,and the like. Isn't it odd that the majority of those who supported the Iraq War never served in the military and had there been a military draft reinstated would have peeled the stickers off their bumpers and demonstrated in the streets. Less than 1% of our adult population served in Iraq or Afghanistan. In retrospective, we would have been out of Iraq long ago had Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Rice, and Wolfowitz known there was a difference between Shiite and Sunni. No one wishes Hussein was still in power, but was our National security really at stake? Probably far less than it is now from North Korea or Iran in the future. Afghanistan was a justified war, but was poorly managed. George Bush was quoted 9/13/01 saying "The most important thing is for us to find Osama bin Laden. It is our number one priority and we will not rest until we find him". On 3/13/02 he said "I don't know where bin Laden is. I have no idea and really don't care. It's not that important. It's not our priority". During an interview with Katie Couric on 9/6/06, he said "You know, one of the hardest parts of my job is connect Iraq to the war on terror" His quotes are on the record. As one who spent 3 years in Southeast Asia during the 1960s, I find it ironic that we lost 58,272 Americans there and have never understood why. Likewise, we've lost 4.287 in Iraq for very unclear reasons. We never learn. At least, Vietnam War had more shared sacrifice except from those who avoided the draft with student deferments, not excluding Cheney, Wolfowitz, Lieberman and dozens of other well-knowns, both Republicans and Democrats. Not to say that some didn't join the National Guard to stay our of Vietnam, knowing that few National Guard went to Vietnam, unlike Afghanistan and Iraq.

What thought process? Anyone who watched his interview response to simple question on Libya has to wonder. When the red phone rings at 3 a.m., you don't want someone who simply repeats the question and then basically has no answer. Duh?

It's almost as though we have some in our state legislature who would prefer a theocratic form of government, provided it agrees with their brand of religion. Inserting a religious exemption into an anti-bullying bill is a green light to those who would bully based on his or her beliefs. Anyone who thinks otherwise should begin taking logic pills.

I'd be interested in knowing how many of the senators who voted for this bill served in the military or how many oppose even the thought of reinstating a military draft. It's a fact that no more than 1% of our total population served in Iraq or Afghanistan. It's easy to vote for a bill related to patriotism, but the true test of patriotism is how are you going to share the sacrifice of fighting these wars. Other than for our men and women in uniform, I see very few of us sacrificing, including myself although I did spend close to 3 years in Southeast Asia during the 1960s with the U.S. Air Force indirectly helping to kill thousands of civilians in a pointless war. There are those in our state legislature who claim to be patriots, but yet want to privatize the residential aides at the Grand Rapids Home for Veterans who would then be cared for by the low bidder. I don't call that patriotism; I call it sad.